The Malik Report

Updated 4x at 12:36 PM: So we’ve gone from airplane watching to Tweets of radio interviews, NHL Home Ice’s Josh Rimer interviewed Zach Parise on Nextsportstar.com, right after NHL.com’s Dan Rosen posted the following…

Text from Parise: “Nothing will happen tonight.”

And here’s the play-by-play of the interview from the Washington Times’ Stephen Whyno...

Parise: “it’s very stressful. I understand no one wants to be dragging on” on http://nextsportstar.com
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Parise to @joshrimerhockey: “It’s a life changing decision. You work hard as a player to put yourself in a good ... http://sulia.com/c/hockey/f/4669f528-ca74-43fa-81ff-478886b7eb06/?source=twitter
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More from Parise: “I don’t feel comfortable saying who’s in and who’s out.” It’s a short list but he won’t say how many. @JoshRimerHockey
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Parise to @JoshRimerHockey on Suter: “We’ve talked. Ryan and I are friends. We’ve definitely talked throughout this thing.”
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Asked about Miami Heat comparison, Parise to @JoshRimerHockey: “I don’t like when anyone is drawing those comparisons to LeBron.”
...http://nextsportstar.com interview with @JoshRimerHockey, Parise admits connect w/ Wild b/c of dad. “That would be really cool.”

Zach Parise tells @JoshRimerHockey he’s talked with Devils GM Lou Lamoriello “three or four times a day” during this process.
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Parise tells @JoshRimerHockey that “I would love to play on a team with a defesneman like Ryan Suter.”
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Parise to @JoshRimerHockey on July 4 plans: “Get a workout in and spend the afternoon on the pontoon boat.”

No decision tonight from Zach Parise or Ryan Suter. But I can assure you, the #mnwild is still very much in this ballgame for both players
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I’ll be on with @joshrimerhockey on http://nextsportstar.com at 11:05 p.m. ET/10:05 CT. Apparently Josh gave Parise the better timeslot #mnwild
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Zach Parise said he’d spend the fourth on his pontoon. In about 2 days, my guess is he will buy a $12 million yacht

Most of the NHL seems to be waiting on Zach Parise and Ryan Suter to make free agent decisions. They realize everyone’s watching.

“It’s very stressful. I understand no one wants to be dragging on,” Parise told Josh Rimer on “Night Cap” on nextsportstar.com Tuesday night. “Its a life changing decision. You work hard as a player to put yourself in a good situation to make decisions. I appreciate everyone’s patience, No. 1.”

Parise’s list has reportedly been narrowed to a few teams, but he wouldn’t reveal which teams. The Minnesota Wild, Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and New Jersey Devils appeared to be the favorites, with the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers in the mix.

“You entertain the offers in the teams that you’re interested in. … you say no to some teams that you’re not interested in,” Parise told Rimer. “I don’t feel comfortable saying who’s in and who’s out.”
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Parise and Suter might be right for each other. Comparisons have been made to the Miami Heat getting LeBron James and Chris Bosh together to play alongside Dwyane Wade. But when friends bring up the Heat in text messages, Parise bristles, even though he has a good relationship with Suter.

“We’ve talked. Ryan and I are friends. We’ve definitely talked throughout this thing,” Parise said. “I don’t like when anyone is drawing those comparisons to LeBron.”

Particularly if it’s the Red Wings, Parise and Suter could be an impressive tandem. The Wild, Penguins, Red Wings and Flyers have been linked with both stars.

“I would love to play on a team with a defenseman like Ryan Suter. Immediately you’ve got your top defenseman,” Parise said. “To get an opportunity to play with him would be great.”

And if you’re a Wings fan that’s cringing about the two landing elsewhere and the Wings’ alternatives shrinking, RedWingsFeed offers a jitter-worthy quip from Sport-Express’s Slava Malamud:

For the first time in two days Ryan Suter didn’t just sit around his farm in Madison, Wisconsin and mull his options. He had visitors. The Detroit Red Wings came to see him and the Minnesota Wild according to reports. The Predators weren’t expected to make another trip to Madison, though things could change.

Before today, the Predators were the only team that had face-time with Suter. Now he has some level of a personal connection with other teams.

By all accounts, the Predators haven’t been told they’re out of it. And the fact that Matt Carle remains unsigned is a positive for Nashville if Suter bolts. He remains a very solid Plan B.

But you have to wonder about his level of interest in Minnesota and Detroit. Minnesota is owned by former Predators owner Craig Leipold. Say what you want about how he left Nashville, but the guy has money — even if the Wild doesn’t have a winning tradition. The Red Wings can offer a history of success and money. Their core is aging, but that may not have an effect on Suter’s decision.

There’s also the Zach Parise factor. According to a report from Josh Rimer, the Devils star forward has said he and Suter are talking and indicated they would like to play together.

Maybe in the end, he sees that Nashville’s sizable offer is enough to help him return to a place he knows. When an agent goes on record and says it’s a big deal, it probably is competitive with what the Wings and the Wild are offering.

No matter what, my uneducated guess says we’ll have an answer in the next day. The information has been gathered, now it’s decision time.

On Tuesday, the Wings paid a visit to Suter in Madison, Wis., where he lives in the offseason on his farm.Detroit’s contingent included owner Mike Ilitch, general mananger Ken Holland and advisor Chris Chelios, who played college hockey at Wisconsin and is good friend with Suter’s uncle, Gary.

According to a source, the Wings have offered Suter a 12-year contract worth $90 million.

Reports started to circulate Tuesday afternoon that Ilitch’s private plane flew out of Detroit to Wisconsin. According to FlightAware.com, a Gulfstream plane licensed to Olympia Aviation LLC, left Detroit Metro Airport for Madison at 11:17 a.m. Tuesday. It arrived at Dane County Regional Airport in Madison at 12:08 p.m., departed at 3:30 p.m. and arrived back in Detroit at 4:19.

Ilitch and Chelios were seen leaving the private hangar in separate cars. Reporters were not permitted to get close to the hangar.

Messages were left with numerous people within the Wings’ organization and were not returned.

Neil Sheehy did not return and email or phone message left by The Macomb Daily, but he told Kevin Allen of USA Today that there would not be a decision made Tuesday.
“There’s no blueprint to this time of year,” Holland said in a phone interview Monday. “We have to sit and wait just like anyone else.”
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The Minneapolis Star Tribune reported that the Minnesota Wild also sent representatives to make a pitch to Suter. Reporter Michael Russo said that owner Craig Leipold, general manager Chuck Fletcher and coach Mike Yeo were on the flight. Russo met the Wild at the airport in Minnesota but wrote that they would not comment on their meeting with Suter.

Russo also sent out a Tweet, “Best part of story is Leipold’s plane is presently taking Sheehy back to Intl falls. Hope #redwings pick up some of the cost .”

The Detroit Red Wings made a personal pitch to free-agent defenseman Ryan Suter on Tuesday, and now they wait for his decision. Suter met with the Red Wings and, reportedly, the Minnesota Wild at his farm in Madison, Wis.

Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch, general manager Ken Holland and team advisor Chris Chelios boarded a corporate jet in the morning, spoke with Suter and his agent, Neil Sheehy, and returned to Detroit in the afternoon. The Red Wings offered Suter $90 million for 13 years.

The Nashville Predators, with whom Suter has spent his entire seven-year NHL career, and the Philadelphia Flyers also are confirmed to have made offers. Reports indicate the Pittsburgh Penguins also have shown interest.

Red Wings officials did not respond to messages seeking comment. A small media contingent that gathered at a private terminal at Metro Airport was turned away by security.
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The Red Wings have been targeting Suter for more than a year. The interest has been mutual, as Suter, during the All-Star weekend in Ottawa, inundated the Red Wings’ Pavel Datsyuk with questions about what it’s like to play in Detroit.

The Red Wings also have been using Chelios as a recruiter. Chelios has spoken frequently with Suter’s uncle, Gary. Chelios and Gary Suter were teammates for five seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. Chelios and both Suters are Wisconsin alums.

The Red Wings typically do not travel to meet free agents. But there is some intense competition for the top two players, Suter and left wing Zach Parise, in a weak free-agent class.

The Red Wings desperately need to bolster their defense after the retirement of seven-time Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom and Brad Stuart’s departure to San Jose. If they don’t land Suter, they might pursue a trade for Keith Yandle of Phoenix. The Red Wings do not appear to have high interest in Matt Carle (Philadelphia), the only other top-pair quality free-agent defenseman available. They like Carlo Colaiacovo (St. Louis), but he is not a top pair defenseman.

And Khan says that the Wings would go after Shane Doan as a “plan b” forward as they’re not Semin fans, but I can’t quote his whole article. Great work as usual.

Update #3: Greg “Puck Daddy” Wyshynski’s also reporting the $90 million offer, and while the Free Press almost inevitably tweaks their stories with more late-night info, here is their initial version of Helene St. James’ Wednesday story, from the Sacramento bee:

They’ve made an offer as high as $90 million over 13 years to Suter, 27, but are competing with teams including Philadelphia, Minnesota and Nashville. Suter has been mulling a handful of mega-million dollar contracts since free agency began at noon Sunday.

Suter’s agent, Neil Sheehy, said his client will take the time needed to make the right decision.

“For a young man who is looking to commit to 13 years, I find it strange that people expect him to make a decision within hours or days. Everything needs to be carefully considered,” Sheehy said.

The Wings also remain in the running for forward Zach Parise, though obtaining his services is less pressing. His agent, Wade Arnott, said Tuesday they’re “still in decision-making mode.”

The Wings are mulling numerous courses of action as they seek to engineer a more rugged identity. They’re keeping an eye on Shane Doan and remain interested in Rick Nash. For any other dominos to fall into place, though, they first need to find out if their wooing has won them Suter.

Update #4: Take this for what you will, via RedWingsFeed: here’s what the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Michael Russo says about Suter, Parise and Minnesota:

@HockeyyInsiderr trust me. It’s up to Suter. He’s waiting on Suter to decide and that’ll determine if Zach comes here or elsewhere

That “HockeyyInsiderr” is a big fat fake. It’s terrible that MSM’ers are quoting him because he’s a complete fraud.

Detroit Red Wings’ owner Mike Ilitch and general manager Ken Holland flew to Madison, Wisconsin Tuesday to make their pitch in person to defenceman Ryan Suter. Suter lives on a farm just outside of the state capital.

The Wings reportedly have upped their offer to Suter by $10-million US with an offer of $90-million US over 13 years. That would work out to a cap hit of $6.9-million per season. It’s believed Detroit’s original offer was 12 years for $80-million US.

Ilitch’s private jet returned to Detroit Tuesday afternoon where it was met by reporters staking out Olympia Aviation’s hangar. However, the media was shooed away and the Wings were refusing comment on the trip.

Suter’s agent Neil Sheehy later released the news that a decision wasn’t expected until at least today.

“When a young man is asked to commit for 13 years, why is it considered extraordinary to take a few days to make a decision?” Sheehy wrote in an email. “A deal will happen when it happens.”

The Wings, who are also bidding on free-agent forward Zach Parise, are focusing their most intense efforts on Suter. With the retirement of defenceman Nick Lidstrom and the departure of Brad Stuart, the Wings have a couple of gaping holes to fill on their blue-line. Detroit currently has 23 players under contract on their NHL roster and has just under $17-million in cap space remaining.

Comments

it amazes me how impatient people around here are. I bet if any of you had to make a decision about millions of dollars and where your life, and your family’s lives, would be for the next decade you wouldn’t make a quick decision either.

I bet if any of you had to make a decision about millions of dollars and where your life, and your family’s lives, would be for the next decade you wouldn’t make a quick decision either.

That sounds logical, Paul. But if I had known for six months I was going to be offered millions of dollars by a half dozen companies in different cities, I think I’d have a pretty darn good idea of which one I’d choose by the time “decision day” rolled around.

None of these offers came out of the blue. Both Suter and Parise knew basically what the offers would be and who would be making those offers. If, between the end of their season and July 1, they hadn’t discussed all of the possibilities with their families (and with each other, if that’s important to them), what the heck were they doing?

you don’t seem to realize that there is more to these deals than just a dollar amount. there are things, major things, they don’t know until the offer is in front of them on paper. plus it takes time to have phone or face to face conversations with the teams…like the Wings going there yesterday.

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